


Substitution

by XantunsiaRiveresiana



Series: Xantunsia Riveresiana Chronicles [9]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers, Gen, Internal Conflict, Ishgard (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23628391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XantunsiaRiveresiana/pseuds/XantunsiaRiveresiana
Summary: We shall move forward, but which of us should have the reins, if either...
Series: Xantunsia Riveresiana Chronicles [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1700809





	Substitution

"It wasn't your fault" said the Shadow

"Then who's fault was it...?" Was the feeble response.

"Lets not forget the ones who dealt the blow in the first place" The shadow lectured. And again, was met with a feeble response

"Why were they there..?"

The shadow was hesitant to respond for it knew where these feeble thoughts were going, but even so, it tried to redirect them "It was their base of operations-" and as it feared, it was now feebleness that met it this time…

"But why were they There?!"  
But fury.

"On the roof! To meet us! Why were they there?! Did I not just cut through their men, did I not just cut through Them to get there? Why were they even still alive?!"

The shadow was silent

"What? Not gonna tell me 'they escaped'? No of course not because you're here! You know that's not it, you know what I did!"

As the fury speaking back grew, the shadow flinched as it sensed a foreboding presence building.

"I Let them go!! Not out of anything like Mercy or Justice, I let them go because I was bored!  
'One at a time is boring, I slay Primals for a living, you guys can do better than that right?if I let you go, will you all come at me at once and actually make this INTERESTING!!!'

The shadow felt it for sure now, the cause of the dread it was feeling. The shadow knew of its own origins; part of a whole, along with this fury. However, they are not the only parts.  
And as the fury grew and grew at its own admonitions, it fed another. A beast lurking in the darkest depths of their shared heart  
Not, not a mere beast.  
A Monster.

"Everything that's happened, everything we've lost, did I forget?! How easily everything can be taken away, just because I got paraded around as a hero. The hero who saved Eorzea, the hero who slayed Niddhog, the hero who let an island of children die in front of them, the hero who can't even stop a single knight from getting himself killed...!!

The shadow could barely process the furious raving before it, using most of its concentration to maintain its sense of self. It knew. It knew that if it showed another hint of weakness, the monster gorging on the furious rage before it would swallow it whole.

Not again! Never again!! Zephirin! Thordan! The Heaven's Ward! I'll slaughter them all! Them and anything in my way! Everything in my way! I'll rip it apart! Rip it all to shreds!! And anything that has a chance to take someone from me again!! I'll devour everything!! And then!!! And then...!!!

The shadow was overwhelmed. The monster had claimed the fury completely, and turned to the shadow at last. And as the Shadow braced for its fate  
The monster vanished.  
And in its place was not fury, or the earlier feebleness...

"And then I wouldn't be his hero"

But grief,  
holding out a greatsword towards the Shadow.

"What are you doing...?" Asked the shadow  
"The reins. We both saw... what I'd be if I went out there. I cant- I let him down once already, I won't do it again. " Was the grievous reply "So the reins, they're yours."

Going from being wiped from existence, to being given complete control of their soul, the shadow was stunned as everything it campaigned for laid bare in front of it. And as it grabbed the hilt of the sword it felt  
Hollow.  
And thus the shadow made up it's mind  
"This is a substitution" it said as the grief relinquishing its sword began to fade  
"I'm not the hero type, and if that's what you're gonna make me be, then I expect you to take this back when you've pulled yourself together." Then, scowling, the shadow finished it's thoughts  
"you're the one the smile suits. Not me."

The dissipating grief, shocked for a moment, returned a weak simper, and then vanished.  
\--  
"Too much blood has been spilled for the lies he perpetrated. No more." Said the Knights commander, as he looked over to his entreated warrior for a reaction.  
And a reaction she had, having been silent for the whole of the conversation up to this point. With a dark shadow casting over her face, Xantunsia responded.  
"Life for Death. I will have Ser Zephirin's heart for what he did to Haurchefaunt."


End file.
